Fabric-drying apparatus.



J. A. FIRSCHING. FABRIC DRYING APPARATUS. APPLIGATIONI'ILED'JUNIE 18, 1913.

6 SHBETfi-SHEET 2.

i al

WITNESSES:

. INVENTOR (906 8 075 tflfl'rsclzj y J A. rmscHxm. FABRIC DRYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913. 1 1 O7, 1 62.

Patented m 11,191

6 SHEETS-BEBE! 3.

. I 50 A9 a: 7 50 y 1' 1 l 5.3 WITNESSES: r INVENTUH m B Y %mw ATTORNEY ;J. A. FIRSGHING. FABRIC DRYING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION EILBD JUNBlB, 1913. 1,1 07, 1 62. v Patented Aug. 11, 191i 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES: 3 4 6 3 mvamon '30 C70 $7D70 c/ZIZkSCZe kg,

ATTORNEY J. A. PIRSGHING. FABRIC DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE-18, 1913. 1 1Q7 1 62 Patented Aug. 11, 1914;

6 SHEETS-SHBET 5.

"J. A. FIRSGHING. FABRIG DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1913 I 1 1011 62, Patented Aug. 11,1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

Zizv'en Z02 doise vk 22 "5c it) Q W warn 3 y THE NORRIS PETERS ca. PHOTOLITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

FABRIC-DRYING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

Application filed June 18, 1913. Serial No. 774,460.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr A. FIRSOHING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fabric-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to fabric drying apparatus, and it proposes, briefly, a drying apparatus which is designed primarily for use in connection with the socalled tubular knitted fabric and which embodies certain hereinafter described improvements in or relating to the devices for spreading the fabric and feeding it to the receiving roller whercon it is wound. The apparatus, as a whole, is so constructed that the spreading device, which serves, also, to form the fabric into a flattened tube, may be removed and replaced by others of different sizes, while the feeding device may be adjusted in conformity with the particular spreader used.

The invention also comprehends certain further improvements whereby the fabric is guided and held against displacement during the operation of the feeding device, and whereby that device serves to retain and steady the spreading device but may be released and thrown into position to permit the removal of the said spreading device.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whereof:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved apparatus; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section; Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, a front elevation and a plan view, on an enlarged scale, of one form of spreading device; Figs. 5 and 6 are corresponding "views of a modified form of spreading device; Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of one of the controlling levers employed. Fig. 8 is a side elevation; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on line 9-9, Flg. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the levers acted upon by the controlling levers; Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section on line 1111, Fig. 10; Figs. 12 and 13 are enlarged perspective views of the combined guide supports and yoked collars, and the traveling rollers associated therewith.

Th main working parts of the apparatus, with the exception of the spreading device,

are mounted in a suitable depending frame ment of the fabric takes place.

1, preferably U-shaped, which is secured to the ceiling of the room wherein the treat- In-the upper portion of this frame is arranged the drive shaft 2, provided with a pulley 3, or lik power-transmission device, and connected by gearing 4 with a vertical shaft 5 that is journaled in bearing brackets 6 attached to one of theside members of the frame.

Shaft 5 is utilized to drive the feeding device, which latter preferably comprises a series of parallel drawing rollers 7, 8 and 9 arranged transversely of the frame, the

roller 7 being located above and between the rollers 8 and 9. In the construction illustrated, a variable speed drive is employed for the roller 7, consisting of a pair of interengaging gears 10 and 11. Gear 10 is slidably keyed or splined upon the grooved lower portion of shaft 5 and may be shifted by mean of a lever 12 connected thereto, to bring it into mesh with any one of the series of annular rows of teeth provided upon gear 11, that gear being loosely mounted upon the adjacent end of shaft 13 which carries roller 7.

Lever 12 may be held in adjusted position in any desired manner, as, for instance, by engaging it in the proper notch 14 formed in the gear case 15 afiiXed to frame 1, these notches leading from a vertical slot 16 in said case through which said lever projects. In like manner, any desired means may be utilized for causing shaft 13 to rotate with gear 11 when the feeding device is in operation, such means consisting, in the pres ent instance of a frictional clamp in the nature of a sleeve or collar 17 adapted to engage the hub of gear 11 and having a hand wheel 18, or the like, provided thereon. Shaft 13 also carries a gear 19 in mesh with and driving a gear 20 fast on the shaft 21 of the drawing roller 8, so that the latter is thus driven simultaneously with roller 7. The third roller 9 is so mounted that it may be moved into and out of position to co operate with roller 8, for which purpose the ends of its shaft 22 are received in the grooves 23 formed in a pair of inclined brackets 24 affixed to the side members of the frame, the arrangement being such that it is normally held by gravity in operative position at the bottom of the grooves, but may be raised and supported 1n non-working position, when desired, by engaging its shaft ends in the seats 25 provided at the upper ends of said grooves. The roller in question is shown in full lines in 2 in the first of these two positions, and in dotted lines in the other position.

The receiving or accumulating roller 26 is located directly above roller 7 and, by preference, has a floating or gravity action, the ends of its shaft 27 being slidably fitted in the vertical grooves 23 formed in the sides of the frame, which mounting permits it to rest on said roller 7, with or without a roll of fabric thereon.

The spreading device is located beneath the previously described feeding device, and preferably embodies a series of cords, or similar flexible elements that are passed over specially-arranged pulleys, as subsequently described. This device is mounted upon, or carried by, a vertical shaft 29 which is arranged above and in axial alinement with a second shaft 30, the latter being suitably supported within the vertical loading tube 31, over which the fabric 32 is drawn and on which it is dried by means of air suitably supplied thereto. The confronting ends of the shafts 29 and 30 are coupled in such a way as to permit the detachment of the spreader and its removal bodily from the apparatus, this being effected in the present construction by providing the end of the spreader shaft with a hook-shaped terminal 33- which is removably engaged in a flanged socket or head 34 provided upon the end of the loader shaft.

The details of the spreader are best shown in Figs. 3 to 6, from which it will be seen that the flexible elements above referred to may be constituted either by the several portions of a single endless band, or by separate or individual endless bands. In the former construction, depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, the single endless band is trained over upper, lower and intermediate sets of pulleys 36, 37 and 38, there being six of the lower pulleys 37 in the present embodiment mounted on stud axles 39 which are connected with the terminals of the radial arms of a spider 40 attached to the feeder shaft 29 a slight distance above the guide ring 41. Four intermediate pulleys 38 are utilized, and they are likewise mounted on stud axles 42 connected with a spider 43 fixed to shaft 29, above which spider there is mounted upon the upper end of said shaft a horizontal bar 44 provided at its opposite ends with a pair of arms 45 carrying the stud axles 46 of the two upper pulleys 36. In addition, there is fixed to shaft 29, a second horizontal bar 47 provided, in like manner, with a pair of terminal arms 48 which carry the stud axles 49 of the tension pulleys 50, the latter being located directly beneath the upper pulleys 36. This bar 47, and the pulleys 50 carried by it,

may be located either above the intermediate pulleys 38, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or slightly below the same, as in Fig. 3, according as may be advisable, and the arms 48 to which said pulleys 50 are connected may be inclined in either direction.

The several sets of pulleys have the general arrangement shown in plan in Fig. 4, the upper pulleys being disposed farthest away from, and the intermediate pulleys nearest to, shaft 29, while the lower pulleys occupy a relative position to said shaft which is midway between the first two sets. Also, the lower and intermediate pulleys occupy angular positions relative to each other and to the ends of their respective spiders. As a result of this arrangement, it will be observed that the single continuous band 35 is divided, in effect, into six working portions or sections which themselves act as traveling bands, two of these sections bein inclined outwardly, away from shaft 29, z. 6., the two which pass over the upper pulleys 36.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, substantially the same arrangement of parts is followed, with the exception that the lower pulleys 37 are disposed directly in line with, instead of at an angle to the corresponding intermediate and upper pulleys 3S and 36, and that the tension pulleys and their carrier bar are omitted. The working portions, however, in this form of the invention, are constituted by separate endless bands, ropes, or the like 51.

Where the preferred form of spreader, (shown in Figs. 3 and 4), is employed, the fabric, before reaching the top rollers 36, is subjected to the action of a pair of combined pressing and clamping devices which are adjustably mounted, so as to enable them to conform to the size of the particular spreader in use. These devices are preferably so arranged as to squeeze or flatten out the fabric, and, also, to cooperate with the outer stretches of the two outwardly inclined working or expanding portions of the con tinuous cord Hence, said devices will act upon cord 35 and serve to drive it, so that the outer stretch of each of its working portions or sections will travel in an upward direction. The devices in questimi are preferably constituted by pairs of coacting rollers 52 and 53 which are keyed for sliding movement on shafts 54 and 55, respectively, and are connected with yoked collars 56 and 57. These collars are mounted on shafts 53 and 59, each formed with rightand lefthand threads, so that when either shaft is rotated, the collars thereon will be caused to approach or recede from each other and will effect a corresponding movement of the rollers 52 or 53 with which they are connected, such rotation being produced by means of hand-wheels 60 and 61 provided upon said shafts. One of the roller shafts, in the present instance, the rear shaft 54, is positively driven from the shaft 21, whereon the drawing roller 8 is mounted, by means of a chain-and-sprocket connection 62, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and this shaft 54 has a gear connection 554 with the front shaft 55, thus causing both roller shafts to rotate in unison. While it has been stated that the afore-mentioned devices are used primarily with the preferred form of spreader, it is not to be understood that they are necessarily restricted to such use, as they may be utilized in connection with the form of spreader shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In that instance, however, the rollers will coact only. with the two expanding bands 51, and the feeding action will be very slight.

The rollers 52 have, by preference, a relatively fixed mounting, while the rollers 53 are designed for movement into and out of position to cotiperate therewith, in order to permit the substitution of one spreader for another. The shafts 54 and 58, the former of which carries the fixed rollers, are mounted at their ends in a pair of brackets 63, connected at their upper ends to a horizontal cross-rod 64 that is suitably fastened to or in frame 1, while the shafts 5-5 and 59 are mounted in a pair of levers 65 pivoted at 66 to or in the frame, the lower portions of these levers being connected by a cross-rod 67. Means is provided for holding said levers in operative position and, also, for releasing the same, and such means is here shown as comprising a pair of levers 68, one of which is depicted in detail in Fig. 7. Each controlling lever 68 is formed with a longitudinal slot- 69, through which the free ends of the roll-operating levers 65 project when the apparatus is running. These lever ends, as shown in Fig. 2, are tapered, and their front edges 71 are curved somewhat outward, thereby acting as cam surfaces which are engageable by cross-pins 72 that intersect slots 69, and in order to prevent accidental displacement of the operating levers, the aforesaid cam surfaces are provided with notches 73 for the reception of said pins. The rear ends of the slots 69 in the controlling levers contain expansible coil springs 7 4, the'tension of which is regulated by screws 7 5 threaded in the corresponding ends of said levers. These springs bear against the lower ends of a pair of depending arms 76 constituting extensions of the brackets 63, said arm ends carrying crosspins 77 whose ends fit loosely in longitudt nal slots 78 formed in the side walls of slots 69.

It will be understood, therefore, that the controlling levers are capable of a slight endwise movement. in addition to their swinging or rocking movement on the pins 77 as fulcra, this endwise movement being due to the mounting of the pin ends in the slots 78. When these levers are moved from their full-line to their dotted-line position, Fig. 2, the levers 65 are released, and may be swung upwardly, so as to permit the spreader to be changed; but when levers 65 are lowered, their free ends inserted through slots 69, and the controlling levers raised to their full-line position, or operative position, the pins carried by said controlling levers will ride along the cam surfaces 71 and, on reaching the notches 73, will be forced thereinto, by the action of springs 7 4, whereupon the parts will be locked. To hold levers 65 in raised position, they are preferably equipped with pins 655 which are movable in lateral bosses or sleeves 656 formed on said levers, these sleeves acting as handles.

When the levers are raised, the pins are adapted for engagement in the grooves 23 in brackets 24, thereby supporting the levers, and when the latter are to be lowered, the pins are disengaged therefrom.

Inaddition to the devices and mechanisms previously described, means isprovided for guiding the fabric as it leaves the spreader. Preferably this means or instrumentality is of sucha character as to adjust itself to the particular spreader in use, for which reason it may advantageously be connected with the combined pressing and clamping mechanism, for adjustment simultaneously therewith. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the means in question comprises two sets of anti-friction rollers 79 mounted for rotation on lateral pins 80 carried by plates 81. These plates are rigidly attached in any suitable manner to the yoked collars 56, which are mounted on the rear threaded shaft 58, (see Fig. 2), so that when said shaft is rotated, the said plates will be moved correspondingly with said collars.

The manner in which the apparatus operates is believed to be obvious, but it may be stated that the fabric passes over the loading tube, is dried by the current of air flowing therethrough, and, on reaching the spreader, is stretched and folded into a flattened tube which is engaged by the rollers of the feeder and wound up on the receiving roller. Dur ing the travel of the fabric over the spreader, practically all friction is eliminated, .owing to the arrangement of the cords, this being true for both forms of spreader shown. Where the single cord construction, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is utilized, however, the driving of the working portions thereof serves to positively feed the fabric to the drawing rollers, whereas with the separate cord construction, shown in Figs. and 6, the feed of the fabric is obtained practically entirely by the aforesaid rollers.

Having described my inventionfl claim 1. In an apparatus of the character specifled, the combination, with a loader; of a frame; a receiving roller and a feeder mounted therein; a spreader intermediate said-loader and said feeder and removably coupled to the former, said spreader projecting into said frame; mechanism mount ed in said frame for cooperation with the projecting portion of said spreader, to hold the latter against removal, said mechanism including a movable part; and mechanism associated with the first-named mechanism to lock said movable part in operative posi tion. I

2. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a loader; of a frame; a receiving roller and a feeder mounted therein; a spreader intermediate said loader and said feeder and removably coupled to the former, said spreader projecting into said frame; mechanism mount ed in said frame for cooperation with the projecting portion of said spreader, to hold the latter against removal, said mechanism including a movable part; and mechanism releasably associated with said movable part for locking and unlocking the same in and from operative position.

8. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental part movable toward and from the same; and means for shifting the movable part into and out of position for cooperation with the gsptationary part.

i. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complement-a1 m0vable part having a cam surface; and a controlling device having a member arranged to engage said cam surface, to force said movable part toward said stationary part.

5. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with afabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental part movable toward and from the same; and a controlling device for engagement with said movable part, to force that part toward said stationary part and lock it in place with respect thereto.

6. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental movable part; and a controlling device pivotally connected with the stationary part and releasably connected with the movable part for forcing the latter toward the former and locking it in operative position with respect thereto.

7. In an apparatus of the character specilied the combination, with a. fabric spreader;

of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complen'lental movable part having a notched lam surface; and a controlling device having a member arranged for engagement with said cam surface and for reception in the notch therein, to force said movable part toward said stationary part and lock it in operative position with respect thereto.

8. In an apparatus of the character specitied, the conibination,witl1 a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental movable part; and a ci'mtrolling device for moving the second-named part toward the first named part and automatically locking it in operative position with respect thereto at the end of such movement.

9. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clan'iping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental movable part; and a movable controlling device provided with a slot for the reception of one end of said movable part and with a member for engagement with said end during the movement of said device in one direction, to force said movable part into operative position with respect to said stationary part.

10. In an apparatus of the character specilied, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complemental movable part provided at one end with a am surface; and a pivotally-niounted eontrolling lever having a slot for the reception of said end and a pin extending across said slot for engagement with said cam surface dur ing the movement of said lever in one direction, to force said movable part into 0perative position with respect to said stationary part.

' 11. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination. with a fabric spre der; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith embodying a stationary part, and a complen'iental movable part provided at one end with a cam. surface formed with a notch; and a pivotally-mountcd controlling lever having a slot for the reception of said end and a pin. extending across said slot for engagement with said cam surface during the movement of said lever in one direction; said pin being adapted to enter said notch at the completion of such movement to lock said. movable part in said position.

12. In a apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith comprising stationary and movable parts each embodying a shaft, a pair of rollers adjustable lono'itudinally on said shaft, and means for effecting such adjustment; and means for forcing said movable part into operative position with respect to said stationary part.

13. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination, with a fabric spreader; of a combined pressing and clamping mechanism cooperative therewith comprising stationary and movable parts each embodying a pair of parallel, horizontal shafts, one of which is provided with leftand right-hand threads, and the other with a pair of rollers keyed thereon for longitudinal. movement, supporting means for said shafts, a pair of traveling collars mounted on the first-named shaft and connected with said rollers, and means for rotating said first-named shaft; and means for forcing said movable part into operative position with respect to said stationary part.

14:. In an apparatus of the character specified, a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; upper and lower spiders connected thereto, each arm of each spider being provided with a pulley; a bar connected to said shaft above the upper spider and havin a pulley connected to each end thereof; and flexible means connecting the corresponding pulleys.

15. In an apparatus of the character specified, a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; upper and lower spiders connected thereto, each arm of each spider being provided with a pulley; a bar connected to said shaft above the upper spider and having a pulley connected to each end thereof; and a single flexible element trained over the corresponding pulleys and connecting the same.

16. In an apparatus of the character specified, a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; upper and lower spiders connected thereto, each arm of each spider being provided with a pulley; a bar connected to said shaft above the upper spider and having a pulley connectcd to each end thereof; a single flexible element trained over the corresponding pulleys and connecting the same; and means for driving said element.

1". In an apparatus of the character specifled, a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; upper, lower and intermediate sets of pulleys connected thereto, the upper pulleys being disposed farthest away from, and the intermediate pulleys nearest to said shaft, the lower pulleys occupying a position relative to said shaft which is midway between said upper and said intermediate pulleys; and flexible connecting means trained over the corresponding pulleys.

18. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a fabric spreader comprising a plurality of superposed sets of pulleys; a single flexible element trained over the corresponding pulleys of said sets and connecting the same; and a guide ring located directly beneath the lowermost set.

19. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; a plurality of superposed sets of pulleys connected thereto; a single flexible element trained over the corresponding pulleys of said sets and connecting the same; and a guide ring connected to said shaft directly beneath the lowermost set. i

20. In an apparatus of the character specified, the combination of a fabric spreader comprising a rotatably mounted shaft; a plurality of superposed sets of pulleys connected thereto; a single flexible element trained over the corresponding pulleys of said sets and connecting the same; and a guide ring connected to said shaft directly beneath the lowermost set.

21. in an a paratus of the character specified, the com ination of a fabric spreader comprising a shaft; upper and lower spiders connected thereto, each arm of each spider being provided with a pulley; a bar connected to said shaft above the upper spider and having a pulley connected to each end thereof; flexible means connecting the corresponding pulleys; and a guide ring secured to said shaft directly beneath the lower spider.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING.

Witnesses:

ANDREW FIRSCHING, Gnonen A. HARrrc.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

